Rural Development Broadband Program Risk Assessment

OMB NO. 0503-0021

Expires 03/31/21

Section 1 – Background Information

1. Role/Involvement in Rural Broadband Deployment

   1. Former USDA Employee

   2. Federal Government Employee (non-USDA)

   3. (Potential/Current/Former) Awardee

   4. Non-Government Employee Hired by USDA (Potential/Current/Former) Awardee

   5. Interest Group Representative

Section 2 – Rural Broadband Landscape

1. What is rural America’s most critical struggle to obtaining reliable, affordable broadband internet service (broadband internet service is defined as the minimum rate of data transmission of twenty-five megabits downstream and three megabits upstream for both mobile and fixed service)?

   1. Access (i.e. no service)

   2. increased speed

   3. consistent service

   4. low-cost service

   5. Comment/Other (open ended)

2. What is the greatest benefit to rural America in obtaining reliable, affordable broadband internet service?

   1. Increase economic prosperity

   2. attract new businesses, enhance job growth

   3. extend the reach of affordable

   4. high-quality healthcare

   5. enrich student learning with digital tools

   6. facilitate access to the digital marketplace

   7. Comment/Other (open ended)

3. What is the greatest challenge to deploying reliable, affordable broadband internet service in rural areas?

   1. Deployment cost,

   2. regulatory uncertainty,

   3. low customer demand,

   4. obtaining financing

   5. Comment/Other (open ended)

4. In what area could federal government action most effectively assist rural America in obtaining reliable, affordable broadband internet service?

   1. Reduce barriers to capital investment

   2. remove obstacles to broadband services

   3. more efficiently employ Government resources

   4. Comment/Other (open ended)

Section 3 – USDA Rural Broadband Deployment Programs

1. How do the USDA rural broadband deployment programs make the greatest impact on rural America?

   1. Increase economic prosperity

   2. attract new businesses, enhance job growth

   3. extend the reach of affordable, high-quality healthcare

   4. enrich student learning with digital tools

   5. facilitate access to the digital marketplace

   6. Comment/Other (open ended)

2. How do the USDA rural broadband deployment programs most effectively assist rural America in overcoming its struggle to obtaining reliable, affordable broadband internet service?

   1. Access (i.e. no service)

   2. increased speed

   3. consistent service

   4. low-cost service

   5. Comment/Other (open ended)

3. How could the USDA Rural Broadband Deployment Programs make changes to more effectively assist rural America’s in obtaining affordable, reliable broadband internet service?

1. Open ended

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this information collection is 0503-0021. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

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